Gorillas of Uganda

Striking, beautiful and incredibly powerful, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the mountain gorillas of Uganda will take your breath away. That’s not all you’ll see at Bwindi National Park though, as you meet Chimpanzees from Kibale and see the tree lions of Ishasha. An utterly unforgettable experience.

Tour Overview

11-Day fully escorted tour from £3995

There can be very few of life’s adventures more humbling and emotional than the sighting of the extraordinary mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. With half of the world’s population living here, Bwindi National Park gives you the chance of a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with these gentle and endangered primates. Uganda offers a unique and diverse wildlife experience from the Chimpanzees of Kibale to the tree lions of Ishasha and of course its star attraction.

2 nights at Lake Kyaninga

2 nights in Queen Elizabeth National Park

2 nights in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

2 nights in Lake Mburo National Park

Tour Highlights

Door-to-door pick-up service

Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale Forest

Boat trip on the Kazinga channel

Three game drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park including one in Ishasha

To game drives in Lake Mburo National Park

Eight breakfasts, nine lunches and nine dinners

Tour Itinerary

London to Entebbe A nice easy start to your holiday as our door-to-door pick-up service takes you to London Heathrow for your overnight scheduled Kenya Airways flight to Entebbe via Nairobi

Entebbe to Kyaninga Lake Depart Entebbe in your 4×4 vehicle to the 4♦ Kyaninga Lodge, set against a stunning backdrop of Lake Kyaninga and the legendary Mountains of the Moon for the first of two nights. A picnic lunch is included.

Kibale Forest National Park Head for the Kibale Forest National Park for a morning of chimpanzee trekking. The park is the natural habitat for 12 primate species. This afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the facilities of your lodge and its spectacular setting.

Kyaninga Lake to Queen Elizabeth National Park Drive to the Queen Elizabeth National Park where on arrival you will have lunch. This afternoon check in to the 3♦ Plus Mweya Lodge, located on a peninsula in the heart of the National Park. This afternoon take a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel and see hippos, crocodiles and the profusion of bird life.

Queen Elizabeth National Park Queen Elizabeth National Park lies on the western arm of the Great East Rift Valley. It has one of the highest bio diversity ratings of any national park in the world, with over 500 different bird species and about 100 mammal species. This is one of the best places to spot predators such as lions and leopards, jackals and spotted hyenas. In addition, it is home to herds of buffalo and elephant as well as zebra, warthogs and giraffe. There will be two game drives today, one in the morning and one late afternoon with time to relax in between.

Queen Elizabeth National Park to Bwindi

Look out for more wildlife as you pass through Queen Elizabeth National Park. We will pass through the Ishasha section which is famous for its tree-climbing lions and continue to Bwindi and the 4♦ Gorilla Forest Camp for a two-night stay. Accommodation is in a luxury tented camp with a hillside location overlooking the forest where the mountain gorillas reside. (picnic lunch)

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest After an early breakfast you meet your guide who will lead you into the forest for your unforgettable gorilla experience. Having located the gorillas, you will be able to spend one hour observing them within a few feet, watching them interact, eat and play. We have kept the afternoon at leisure where you can join an optional excursion or simply reflect on the incomparable experiences of your morning.

Bwindi to Lake Mburo National Park Travel through some of Uganda’s most beautiful and contrasting scenery – from steep mountains to open plains, journey’s end is at the 4♦ Mihingo Lodge, spread out on top of a rock formation overlooking Lake Mburo National Park.

Lake Mburo National Park We have included two game drives, one in the morning and one in the late afternoon where you can spot some of Lake Mburo’s more celebrated residents. With time to enjoy the excellent facilities of your lodge in between you may wish to take an optional boat trip on the lake this evening.

Lake Mburo National Park to Entebbe and flight home Keep your eyes peeled for any last minute animal sightings as you head through the park and on to Entebbe for your Kenya Airways flight home via Nairobi.

London Heathrow Your door-to-door driver will be on hand to take you home.

Tour Extras

Tailor Your Tour

Optional excursions

Extra excursions are available for you to book locally. Your tour manager will tell you more about these on arrival in Uganda

Unescorted extensions

If you would like to round off your Ugandan safari with the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and a pristine white beach, you can spend four nights in Zanzibar at the 4(diamond) Blue Bay Beach Resort & Spa. Prices are from £575 per person with extra nights available.

Something special

Fly in style with Kenya Airways Premier World Class to Nairobi, available at a supplement from £1965 per person, based on return flights

Travel Notes

Few things in life are more exhilarating than a Gorilla and Chimpanzee trek. However you will need a high level of fitness as you can be trekking for up to six hours depending on the location of the primates.

Climbs can be steep and strenuous and also slippery so it is essential you bring good sturdy walking boots/wellington boots along with waterproofs, insect repellent and sun screen. You will need to ensure that you are fully covered while trekking through the forest.

Whenever viewing wildlife, sightings cannot be absolutely guaranteed but there is more than a 95% chance of sighting the gorillas.

All lodges are of excellent standard in keeping with their surrounds and have private en-suite facilities. However lighting is kept to a minimum in the evenings so it is a good idea to bring a torch with you.

Some of the lodges have many steps depending on the location of the rooms.

Roads will be bumpy and are a combination of tarmac and mud tracks. You will be travelling in small vehicles rather than on a coach.

Financial Protection
The flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see the Thomas Cook Tours booking conditions for further information or go to www.atol.org.uk for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate.